The aetiology of meconium-stained amniotic fluid: pathologic hypoxia or physiologic foetal ripening? (Review).

INTRODUCTION

Despite the many efforts to study the (patho)physiology of meconium release before delivery, it still remains an indistinct subject. Some studies have reported a relationship between hypoxia and MSAF, whilst others have not. The most common association found however, is between MSAF and the term of gestation.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane library were electronically searched. Papers about the (patho)physiology of meconium-stained amniotic fluid in English were included. Papers about management strategies were excluded (see elsewhere this issue).

RESULTS

Different theories have been proposed including acute or chronic hypoxia, physiologic foetal ripening and peripartum infection.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that meconium-stained amniotic fluid should be regarded as a symptom rather than a syndrome becoming more prevalent with increasing term and which might be associated with higher levels of infection or asphyxia.